Not too long ago I purchased a Predator 314 (not the Z) shaft for one of my cues. I started to use it for a few racks and play like I normally do. My question to many Predator owners is; have you noticed a decrease in accuracy after using one? I think my shot making went down and lost some accuracy after using my shaft. I know there can be a break in period for less deflection shafts, but is it worth it? Another thing I noticed is the roll (slight wobble) of the shaft not what I would expect for a very expensive shaft, have others noticed this as well? The bottom line is I guess it is the player not always their equipment.

kyle

05-12-2005, 09:33 PM

IMO it's gonna take a period of time to adapt to any new shaft/cue. With the 314 you have to get used to hitting everything "straight".

Cane

05-12-2005, 10:05 PM

Personally, I've tried the 314 and I think it's more "hype" than "happen". I know many that swear by it, but the plain simple truth, at least for me, is that it's easier to compensate for shaft deflection and CB squirt than it is to change over to a cue that supposedly eliminates deflection problems. I had a friend that, one year ago, swore that the Predator was the answer to his prayers. Saw him a few days ago in a Pool Room in Arkansas and he was shooting with a Dishaw, with the standard shaft... swore it was the best playing cue he'd ever owned. I didn't say anything about the Predator that he'd touted so adamantly a year ago... and neither did he.

Bottom line: If you want to play with ANY pie or lam shaft, do it because you like the feel, not because of the company's great advertising budget, where hundreds of thousands or even millions, can be spent to convince the buyer that they are the ONLY way to go. ALL shafts have deflection and ALL will make a CB squirt... it's just a matter of how much... Just get a cue/shaft combination that you like and learn how to play well with that combination. I don't care if it's Predator, Meucci, Dick Black, Scruggs, John Madden, Jerico, Blackheart or even a damn Players! (btw, that I know of, the aforementioned custom makers don't even offer a Predator or any other lam or pie construction shaft with their very special cues... if I'm wrong, I'll humbly apologize). Special shafts are not, IMO, the cure all for problems in a game... only Perfect Practice is a cure all, regardless of what cue you have in your case.

Did it ever strike anyone, besides me, odd that a $400 cue can be purchased with a 314 shaft, but a $5000 cue cannot??? Of course, almost all of the production cue companies offer a laminated shaft or a pie construction shaft, or some kind of gimmick shaft, but if they're so great, I just never understood why the makers of extremely high quality cues do not either make them or offer them.

Later,
Bob

sneakypapi

05-12-2005, 10:12 PM

Did it ever strike anyone, besides me, odd that a $400 cue can be purchased with a 314 shaft, but a $5000 cue cannot??? Of course, almost all of the production cue companies offer a laminated shaft or a pie construction shaft, or some kind of gimmick shaft, but if they're so great, I just never understood why the makers of extremely high quality cues do not either make them or offer them.
<hr /></blockquote>

Actually, I agree with you statement. I should note that some custom makers will offer special shafts, but that is not their core business, of course this varies on the cuemaker. The other option custom cuemakers do is take a Predator blank and match it to their custom cues.

marek

05-13-2005, 03:59 AM

Hi!
I can tell from my experience that 314 shaft works perfectly for me. But I know that this shaft is not for every player, it has to suit your style of play. I am rather agressive player and my father says that I always force the balls to do some unnatural things instead of going with the flow just because it helps me to get the better position route..and I must admit it is true. So 314 is definitelly the best choice for me as it helps me to do those "unnatural things" with much higher consistency. But I suppose that more conservative player wouldnt be so happy with 314 as it may limit his "touch" with the balls on the table due to its stiffness. For me 314 is a gift from the heaven. But I found very interesting thing: 314 plays just as good as your tip. If the tip isnt hard enough you get much more deflection than with hard tip. It completelly took me by surprise when I changed the tip for the very first time. I experinced that the shaft was playing "worse" than before and it was getting worse and worse through the time. I started to worry about the shaft, I thought that the shaft wasnt that stiff anymore... /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ccboard/images/graemlins/blush.gif No, the problem was in the tip as it wasnt that hard as it needed to be. Then I made some experiments with the tips and I found out that the most satisfactory results gave me Le pro tips. But even those gave me some troubles as single tips from the same box were of different quality. One played great, second one played awful, third played the same, fourth played great....etc. So I imagine that your friend encountered the same problem, didnt found the reason of the troubles and sold the shaft.
Just my opinion.

Nightstalker

05-13-2005, 08:27 AM

I have used a 314 shaft for over a year and it works well for me, but it does take some adjusting to get used to. If after a few months, at most, you're still not comfortable with it then it is not for you.

Billy_Bob

05-13-2005, 09:47 AM

I think the secret is to experiment with different cues/shafts/tips/tip shapes and find what you like best. Or in the case of a low deflection shaft, maybe know in your mind that in time you might be able to do things which would be more difficult with a conventional shaft.

But once you decide what will be best, learn to use that specification of shaft/tip/tip shape and stick with it forever.

So in my case, it is 19.5 oz cue, Predator 314 shaft, Moori III Q tip, and dime shaped tip. If I get a new cue, it will be a 19.5 oz cue, Predator 314 shaft, Moori III Q tip, and dime shaped tip.

ceebee

05-13-2005, 10:31 AM

I have a radially laminated shaft &amp; I dearly love it. It is not made by Predator, it was whittled out by Joe Sanko. I have the shaft mounted on my Pechauer &amp; I have won my share of Pool Tournaments with it.

Rackin_Zack

05-13-2005, 12:48 PM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote ceebee:</font><hr> I have a radially laminated shaft &amp; I dearly love it. It is not made by Predator, it was whittled out by Joe Sanko. I have the shaft mounted on my Pechauer &amp; I have won my share of Pool Tournaments with it. <hr /></blockquote>

So what you're saying is that if I get one of those same shafts I'll start winning my share of pool tournaments?! How much does it cost? Who should I contact to get one? This is going to be fantastic!!!

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Rackin_Zack:</font><hr> <blockquote><font class="small">Quote ceebee:</font><hr> I have a radially laminated shaft &amp; I dearly love it. It is not made by Predator, it was whittled out by Joe Sanko. I have the shaft mounted on my Pechauer &amp; I have won my share of Pool Tournaments with it. <hr /></blockquote>

So what you're saying is that if I get one of those same shafts I'll start winning my share of pool tournaments?! How much does it cost? Who should I contact to get one? This is going to be fantastic!!!
<hr /></blockquote>
Zack,

Of course you will. But remember, everyone's share IS different! /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

SpiderMan

Cueless Joey

05-13-2005, 05:00 PM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Rackin_Zack:</font><hr> <blockquote><font class="small">Quote ceebee:</font><hr> I have a radially laminated shaft &amp; I dearly love it. It is not made by Predator, it was whittled out by Joe Sanko. I have the shaft mounted on my Pechauer &amp; I have won my share of Pool Tournaments with it. <hr /></blockquote>

So what you're saying is that if I get one of those same shafts I'll start winning my share of pool tournaments?! How much does it cost? Who should I contact to get one? This is going to be fantastic!!!

I'm sooooooooooo excited to get my new shaft! <hr /></blockquote>
Not so fast.
You will need top buy and watch all of Bert Kinnister's videos first. /ccboard/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

sneakypapi

05-14-2005, 12:49 AM

Quick update, I decided to go back to my normal shaft and give it a good workout to see if it was the shaft or maybe me? I noticed that my accuracy was back to normal, of course I still will miss, but shot noticably better with the Regular shaft than using the Predator. I have come to the conclusion that when I aim I automatically adjust for deflection and tough cut shots in my setup. I think that since the Predator is suppossed to shot straighter, I was aiming and hitting the cueball like I would do with any shaft, but I noticed my accuracy went down. Overall, if ain't broke don't fix it.

Billy_Bob

05-14-2005, 08:38 AM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote sneakypapi:</font><hr> Quick update, I decided to go back to my normal shaft and give it a good workout to see if it was the shaft or maybe me? I noticed that my accuracy was back to normal, of course I still will miss, but shot noticably better with the Regular shaft than using the Predator. I have come to the conclusion that when I aim I automatically adjust for deflection and tough cut shots in my setup. I think that since the Predator is suppossed to shot straighter, I was aiming and hitting the cueball like I would do with any shaft, but I noticed my accuracy went down. Overall, if ain't broke don't fix it. <hr /></blockquote>

If that is what is working best for you, then just stick with that exact specification of cue forever. If you get a new cue at some later point. Get same weight, same size shaft at tip (12mm, 13mm), etc, same taper (pro, euro), same brand tip, same tip radius (dime, nickel).

Actually I have done quite well with conventional cues just having the same weight, same brand tip, and same tip radius. Plays the same basically. (I got a cheap $20 cue for taking on airplanes and gave it the above specs. - worked just fine!)

Brad

05-16-2005, 07:29 AM

I've had my 314 for several years now, and love it. Did it make me a better player? No, practice does that. But, I do like it. As far as other people "swearing by it", or "against it"? My theory is that if you're winning, whatever you're winning with is "perfect". If you're losing, it sucks.

Stick

05-18-2005, 09:51 AM

Check out the differing amounts of deflection based on shafts.

https://www.platinumbilliards.com/rating_deflect.php

I was using a lucasi prior to getting my predator and it makes a big difference in the amount you have to compinsate. With a full table length shot I would have had to compinsate almost a half inch more than with the predator. Given that the object ball is only 2 1/4 inches, that is huge.

Yes, it does take a while to get used to, but if you like the feel of the (predator) taper and shaft, why would you not go with a lesser deflecting shaft.

Nightstalker

05-18-2005, 10:45 AM

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Stick:</font><hr> Check out the differing amounts of deflection based on shafts.

https://www.platinumbilliards.com/rating_deflect.php

I was using a lucasi prior to getting my predator and it makes a big difference in the amount you have to compinsate. With a full table length shot I would have had to compinsate almost a half inch more than with the predator. Given that the object ball is only 2 1/4 inches, that is huge.

Yes, it does take a while to get used to, but if you like the feel of the (predator) taper and shaft, why would you not go with a lesser deflecting shaft. <hr /></blockquote>

Maybe because you're old and set in your ways, and resist change with every fiber of your being. /ccboard/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ccboard/images/graemlins/grin.gif

hondo

05-18-2005, 12:06 PM

I've got a Z shaft and am having some trouble
adjusting. Also, you mention a wobble. Might
you have a warped shaft?